When Fire Meets Fire
by EmoPManBunnie
Summary: Mardela was a woman who always seemed to get into trouble, but she also knew how to get herself out. That is until she meets a man who gives her trouble that she is in no way ready to handle. LancelotOC.
1. Introduction

_**Title:**_ When Fire Meets Fire.

_**Synopsis:**_ Mardela was a woman who always seemed to get into trouble, but she also knew how to get herself out. That is until she meets a man who gives her trouble that she is in no way ready to handle. LancelotOC.

_**Disclaimer:**_ I do not own the rights to any of the characters that you might recognize; say from the movie King Arthur or something like that. However, many of the other characters are the product of my crazed imagination, so don't mess with them!

**_A little about me…_**(If you don't care, and I don't blame you, just skip ahead to the next chapter)

Hello all who may choose to read this! I would like to start things off by saying that this is the first fanfiction writing that I have ever done and I would very much appreciate any CONSTRUCTIVE criticism that you may have. I know that many of you probably don't care but I am going to tell you my inspiration for this story. I have read many stories before and part of my reason for writing this is because if I am the author I know that I won't be left with a permanent cliffhanger. No offense to anyone, I realize that we all have hectic lives that don't always allow us to do the things that we like.

I also wrote this because I have always been a sucker for the feuding relationship. I like my men strong and witty, much the same as how I like my women characters. This is probably the reason for my tendency to like men that drive me insane, in both a good and a bad way. So that is all I have to say for now. Have fun reading this because I had a blast writing it.

PS - "This is what the alphabet would look like if we eliminated Q and R." – Mitch Hedburg.

I tried to be accurate in writing this but I know that much of it is probably not possible or historically accurate so before you all hit me over the head with salmon for that please keep in mind that it is fanFICTION! Okay, I give you permission to start reading now!


	2. How did I get here?

I should mention this first. I'm sure all you readers would have figured this out but I just likestay on the safe side-> _Things written in Italics are a characters thoughts._

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**_Chapter One:_** How did I get here?

As she opened her eyes blurry images came into focus. _Mardela, what the hell have you gotten yourself into this time? _She thought to herself as she started to notice her surroundings. The first thing that hit her was that she couldn't move her hands at all. She looked down to discover a thick rope tied around her wrists, quite accurately tied as well. _I guess I might need to give these brutes a little more credit; they can tie an effective knot._

It was dark outside and she was propped up against some sort of cart. Her head whipped around at the sound of voices coming around the cart. Seconds later she saw that the owners of those voices were two roman soldiers. One was a stout man with a badly trimmed graying beard. When he spotted her he began to smirk, "Looks like sleeping beauty finally decided to wake up. Hope you enjoyed your sleep because you aren't going to be getting any more for some time wench." The two soldiers burst out laughing.

Mardela's attention was now drawn to the stout man's companion. He was slightly more appealing, a youth, but he was scrawny and had an unattractive angular face that was not too pleasing to look at. _That is the one to go after. _She thought to herself after quickly assessing the man's youth and therefore susceptibility to her charms.

As she was thinking of what to do next the younger solder winked at her saying, "No she won't be getting any sleep for the next few days." _Yep, he is defiantly my way out of this situation. _She put on a fake smile as the two soldiers returned to their campfire that was located a few yards away. Hours passed and nothing happened, the woman looked up at the stars trying to remember how she had gotten to this point.

About three days ago Mardela sneaked off the ship that she had stowed away on and began to head north on the main road. But not before she had stolen a horse from a nearby landowner. This was not a difficult task for her. As always she used her feminine wiles to seduce the owner and when he was still asleep in the wee hours of the morning she sneaked out of bed and saddled the desired horse. Mardela's traveling companion was her trusty dog Sasha. Sasha was a strong and fast dog that had proved her loyalty to her owner with years of companionship. Despite the fact that much of Mardela's troubles started with Sasha she loved the canine as if it were her own child. Mardela had succeeded in stealing a brown mare from the unlucky man still fast asleep in his bed and before the sun rose she was off down the road with Sasha close behind.

The first day of travel was wonderful to both Mardela and Sasha. After being cooped up in that ship of weeks it felt good to be out in the open air, even if the weather seemed to be in permanent overcast. The road that they traveled was one of dirt that winded over mounds of rich grass. To her right Mardela observed a thick mass of trees, a forest to which she didn't know the name. She found herself frequently glancing over towards the mass of trees, feeling as though someone was watching her. Every so often Sasha would run towards the trees in order to chase some small animal that had emerged from the wood but Sasha would return the instant that she heard the sharp whistle from her owner.

As dusk approached Mardela made her way towards the woods to find a place to camp, a place that wouldn't be seen from the main road so as to avoid any trouble that might pass by. Mardela soon found a spot about five minutes walk into the woods. The area provided a small clearing in which she could set up a tent; the clearing was surrounded by a dense wall of trees.

After tying up the horse Mardela set out to find some dinner for her and Sasha. She armed herself with the bow that she kept hidden in her large tote bag. The bow was made of a strong light colored wood and was carved with intricate designs. Mardela had made the bow herself years ago and it still surprised her that it was still in her possession.

She grabbed some arrows and left the rest of her belongings by the newly created encampment. As she started to leave Sasha followed on instinct. Mardela turned to the dog, "Sasha you need to stay here and keep watch on the camp, I don't want anyone stealing that horse that I had to work so very hard to attain." Mardela smiled at the thought and patting Sasha on the head walked silently further into the wood.

She had walked about ten minutes when she came to a halt. Her arrow was already in the bow and she was in a slightly crouched position, ready to move at any moment. Mardela closed her eyes and listened intently for any sound of movement. After listening for a while she suddenly heard a twig snap about ten yards to her right. Her eyes snapped open and she silently brought her bow into position. She saw a rabbit and aimed at it with her sight, she pulled back smoothly and let the arrow fly. Seeing her kill she said to no one in particular, "I guess we won't be starving tonight".

Twenty minutes later Mardela returned to the camp with two plump rabbits in hand. In no time at all they were both skinned and roasting on the fire. She and Sasha both had a delicious rabbit dinner that night and soon Mardela was fast asleep under the tent with Sasha snoring quietly at her feet.

Mardela woke before sunrise, as she always did, and prepared for the day's travel. After packing everything up she led the horse out of the woods and back onto the road. The next few hours went by without event and the sun had rose filling the sky with color. Suddenly Mardela heard a noise. She looked behind her to see four horses with riders heading towards her. As they neared she noticed that one of the men looked a lot like the owner of the fine horse that she was sitting upon. "Shit, this does not look good." She said as she kicked her horse into a gallop. She whistled and Sasha was fast on her heals running away from the approaching trouble. After the pursuit lasted for about half an hour Mardela discovered that she was not gaining any distance between her and her four pursuers and she could tell that her horse was beginning to tire. "I guess now is as good a time as ever to make a stand." She thought as she brought the horse to a halt. She turned around and pulled her bow from her bag, loading and firing an arrow she shot and hit one of the men in the shoulder region, causing him to fall from his horse. "One down, three to go." She thought as the other men steadily approached her. She fired another arrow, just missing the head of one of the riders, she was about to load another but they were too close at this point. She reached into her bag again and withdrew her sword, it was lighter and shorter than most and it too was engraved with the beautiful designs that graced her bow. She prepared herself as the first rider approached, he too had his sword ready and came up on her right side with a powerful blow, she blocked it easily but at that moment the horse reared, throwing her to the ground. "She obviously was not trained for combat", Mardela mused to herself before getting to her feet and readying her weapon for another attack.

The rider that had attacked her circled and came back for another try. Mardela readied her sword and looked for a weakness that she could use to her advantage. It was then that she saw the rider's loose hold on his reins and unstable stance in his saddle. Mardela stood her ground and as the man swung at her she ducked and then jumped at the man, knocking him clear off his steed. It took the man a while to realize what had happened and Mardela used his confusion to her advantage, running up to him and pushing her sword hard into his stomach. The man toppled over, dead.

Mardela looked and saw that the horse owner and one more rider were the only ones left. It was clear that the horse owner was not a fighter, and she could see the apparent fear in his eyes as she stalked closer to them, sword drawn, blood still clinging to the blade from her last kill. Both men were intimidated at the look of death that Mardela gave them as she steadily approached them on foot. The owner turned his horse to leave, but not sooner did he do he noticed a caravan accompanied by a group of Roman soldiers approaching. Mardela heard the horse owner yell to the caravan and it was then that she too saw a group of six Roman soldiers ride towards her. She knew that there were too many of them, even with her level of skill.

Mardela dropped her sword and looked around for Sasha. Spotting the dog crouching under one of the horses, she quickly motioned for her to go to the woods and hide. Sasha instantly understood her owner's command and ran towards the wood. _Why are these things always happening to me?_ Mardela thought to herself as she watched the approaching Romans. _Maybe because you bring it on yourself?_ A part of her replied. Mardela rolled her eyes and put her hands above her head, she knew this looked bad but she just had to wait for the right moment that is if they don't just kill her on the spot.

What must have been the leader of the soldiers spoke first, "Get on the ground miss!" He ordered.

"Why aren't you just a feisty fellow?" She replied smirking at the soldier's Captain. This was not at all what the man expected to hear and it took him a moment to regain his composure.

"Just do it Miss and no one will get hurt." He commanded. Still smiling, Mardela lowered herself to the floor as three soldiers dismounted and headed towards her, swords at the ready.

"So I see you all want to have a go." She said as the soldiers got nearer to her. One of the soldiers was right by her feet, Mardela swung her foot under the man, causing him to fall to the ground. She quickly scrambled to her knees and kicked another man in the gut, sending him to the floor as well. The two men soon recovered and now there were four men at her. In the mess she punched one in the nose and elbowed another, it was then that she felt the sensation of cold metal pressed against her neck.

She heard the voice of the Captain over her shoulder, "You are only making this harder Miss." He spoke into her ear. Then everything went black.

One of the soldiers had punched Mardela in the head and her body fell limp to the floor. The horse owner approached the Captain and spoke, "This woman stole that there horse from me and I demand that she be punished."

The Captain looked at Mardela and said, "You now have your horse back, we will take her into our custody and deliver her to the courts to be tried when we return from our assignment." The horse owner began to protest but he saw the stern look in the Captain's eyes and, being a coward, thought it better to take his horse and flee. The Captain then ordered one of the men to tie the prisoner's hands and she was slung over a horse as they continued on their journey.

And that brings us back to the present. When she awoke and met the two soldiers Mardela assumed that someone had knocked her out. She didn't really know how much time had passed but it felt like forever. Mardela noticed that all the soldiers were asleep, all except the young one that she had her sights set on. He was on watch. Mardela decided that it was time to make her move or else she didn't know where she would end up. "Psssttt!" She tried to get his attention, this worked and he soon made his way over to her.

Mardela put on her best seduction act saying, "What's your name soldier?" The man looked nervous and excited. It was obvious that he did not have much experience with women.

"Matthew" the boy replied.

"Well Matty my wrists are really starting to hurt and I'll make it worth your while if you loosen these ties just a little bit" Mardela pleaded with a pout of her lower lip. She could already tell that the soldier was falling for her act as he carefully walked toward her.

"Alright Miss, but you must promise to behave behave." He said bending down to loosen the knots. As he loosened the knots Mardela pulled her body up and smashed her lips onto his. Meanwhile she was trying to pull her hands free from the newly loosened rope, but it was still to tight. The boy soon had his hands wrapped around Mardela's body. _This kid could use a few lessons, but I just don't have the time for that right now._ Mardela thought as she broke from the kiss.

"You know, things would be a lot more interesting if I could use my hands. A lot more interesting indeed." Mardela looked up at the soldier through her eyelashes with a lustful stare. The boy immediately got the point and grabbed a dagger to cut the bonds on her hands. _Almost free. _No sooner had the blade touched the rope the boy was being dragged away, and he was replaced with a fist being smashed into Mardela's head, again, then more blackness.

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And thus begins the story! I am still working on the character development of Mardela but you will all somewhat understand her soon. Please R&R! 


	3. Thighs of Death!

_**Chapter Two:**_ Thighs of Death!

When Mardela awoke she noticed that it was now daylight and the soldiers were packing up their camp, she also observed that her head felt like it had been split in two. _Why is it that I have woken up about a thousand times these last few days and I am still exhausted? _Then she remembered the pain in her head and the fist that caused it. _Oh yeah, I remember._

No sooner had she awoken did the Captain walk up to her, "On your feet wench." When she didn't move he roughly pulled her to a standing position, "I don't want any more trouble from you. Next time I will not hesitate to kill you." She looked him in the eye defiantly. The Captain simply turned and walked away, though there is no way he didn't feel the hole that Mardela was burning through his back with her glare. Moments later all the soldiers were on their horses and orders to move out were being issued. The cart that Mardela was tied behind began to move North on the road and all Mardela could do was follow at this point.

It was hours since they had stopped and Mardela felt like the Roman's were quickening the pace. She wanted to ask if they were there yet but she felt like those types of whining questions were reserved for children and the weak women of the royalty persuasion. _Stay strong Mardela, you have undergone worse than this before. Now if I could just figure our where the hell we are going. _She tried to think back to what the soldiers were saying at the campfire the night before. _Something about a shipment I think, that must be what is in the cart. Probably going to restock one of their forts or something. Oh great, just what I need, more Roman soldiers._ The sound of a horse riding up beside her brought Mardela out of her thoughts.

"We have quite the punishment for you when we return to the port. It will be rather fun to watch, that is if you manage to live through it." The Captain laughed as he started to quicken his pace.

"Why would you want to go and do I thing like kill me when I can be SO much fun alive. Unless dead bodies is what you are into." At this remark the Captain kicked her to the ground and rode to the front of the caravan in a huff. Mardela struggled to get to her feet as she was being dragged behind the cart, but that didn't stop the huge grin that appeared on her face.

After a few more hours of travel Mardela saw their destination far off in the distance, she also saw a group of horsemen heading their way. As she strained to make out the shapes coming towards her she didn't notice the shapes emerging from the woods to her right. She heard a scream from one of the soldiers and turned to see an arrow protruding from his chest as he fell from his horse. Mardela saw dozens of people painted and running from the woods, as if wolves were chasing them, all screaming with weapons drawn and at the ready. _Well things just keep getting better on this trip don't they? Now what did those idiot soldiers do with my bag, more importantly what did they do with my weapons. _Mardela scanned quickly trying to find her bag but it was no luck. One of the painted men approached her with a short dagger in each hand.

"You wouldn't hurt a defenseless woman would you?" She asked trying to delay the attack and find a way to catch the man off guard. The man said nothing and swung a dagger at her, she tried to dodge it but it sliced her right arm. Pain shot through her but she gritted her teeth knowing that the wound was not too deep. "I guess you would." Mardela managed to dodge the man's next few advances but she knew that she wouldn't last long in this game while tied to the cart. Finally she had an idea. Mardela grabbed the rope and held it with both hands like a staff; on the man's next attack she forced the dagger to come in contact with the rope, cutting it in two. "Thanks!" Mardela was now free of the cart. She quickly grabbed a portion of rope, swept the man to his feet and pulled the rope tight around the man's throat. Soon his struggle left him and his body went limp.

Mardela then rose and looked around to get a bearing on the situation. She observed that the only Roman soldier left standing was the Captain. _I guess the Romans need to train their men a little longer if they want them to live._ She then heard the roar of men and horses coming from behind her, there she saw a group of men charging towards the wood people, weapons at the ready. She started to count them when a large woodman ran at her. As the brute approached Mardela ducked just as he reached her and the man went flying over her body. She rushed over to him, grabbing the dead man's dagger on her way, and pulled his head back by the hair, slicing the dagger across his neck; the man fell to the ground. Mardela then stowed the dagger in her boot and picked up the man's sword in her hands, which were still conveniently tied together. She looked around in fighting stance and noticed that the other men that had just charged over the hill were doing quite well. _At least some people around here know how to fight._ She thought as she observed more and more wood people falling at the hands of these riders.

Distracted by the show that these riders were giving her she did not notice the man coming up behind her with a sword. She heard a noise and turned but it was too late, the man was about to bring his sword down oh her when he suddenly yelped and turned. Firmly attached to his thigh was Sasha, growling with teeth bared. "I knew you were watching out for me girl", Mardela commented as she sliced her sword across the belly of the man.

Most of the wood people were fallen and Mardela decided that it was time for her to get out of this place before anyone noticed. Little did she know, it was way too late for that. As soon as she started to sneak away she felt someone grab her by the hair.

"Where do you think you are going missy?" It was the voice of the Captain; there was no doubt in her mind. Mardela thought fast and swung around, slicing her sword across the Captain's arm. He pulled back and looked at his new wound. He then dismounted his horse and drew his own sword against Mardela. He advanced with extreme strength and it wasn't until now that Mardela realized that the slice on her arm might be worse than she thought. The Captain made a hard over the head blow that was meant to knock an enemy off his, or in this case her, feet and that is exactly what it did; Mardela went flying backwards but she quickly pulled her body together and rolled, kicking the advancing Captain as her feet came around. The Captain stepped back and then came forward again with blow after blow. Mardela was beginning to tire and each advance got closer and closer to her body until the final one pushed Mardela's blade right from her hand and cut a deep gash across her abdomen. Mardela stepped back as the Captain stopped and grinned at her. It was in that moment of arrogance that the Captain made his biggest mistake. Mardela pulled a dagger out of her boot and jammed it into the Captain's chest. The man looked stunned and fell hard on the ground.

Mardela was about to run when one of the wood people knocked her off her feet. She landed with a thud and her dagger went flying out of her hand. It was clear to her that the man had the upper hand, he had her effectively pinned to the ground with his body and the short knife in his hand played a large part in his advantage as well. The man swung the knife at her and she grabbed his wrist with both hands, holding the knife away from her face. Mardela quickly bucked her legs up and used them to grab the man's midsection. With a powerful twist of her body she flipped the man onto his back, still holding his wrists that held the knife. Little did Mardela know most of the battle was over and she had gained an audience for this little floor match that she was having. Three men stood a few yards away ready to come to her rescue. Seeing her struggle one of the men ran to help but as soon as the woman saw him she grunted, "I can take care of this on my own, now get lost." The man returned to his friends with a confused look on his face while the other two just laughed.

"By the looks of it Galahad I think she will be the one doing the hurting in this match." The second knight laughed as he observed the mystery woman roll on top of the woad, placing him between her thighs. She then tightened her thighs around the man and seemed to be squeezing him to death.

"I wouldn't mind being between thighs with that kind of power if you know what I mean." The third knight shivered at the image. The three then observed the woman bending her head down and with a grunt, biting the chest of the man and ripping her head away, right where the nipple was, before she ripped her head away that is. The man screamed and lost his grip on the knife, which the woman quickly turned around and shoved into the man's throat.

"Well Lancelot, if you plan on being between those thighs at any point you might want to wear a breast plate or something, I'm sure you don't want to be loosing anything." The man laughed as he looked at Lancelot, who didn't seem to notice his comment but was staring at the woman with lust clearly etched across his face.

The woman looked to be about twenty but the manner in which she presented herself led him to think she had already had many experiences in this world. Her attire was that of what a man would wear, breaches with a tunic tucked into them but they looked as if they were tailored specifically for her, Lancelot noted with an appraising look that the outfit accentuated all the right curves. The mystery woman had dark brown wavy hair that looked like a tangled mess falling from the loose tie that was holding it up. Even in the tie the hair reached her midsection. Her attire also consisted of a pair of black boots and pendants hanging around her neck, many just long enough to rest comfortably in her cleavage. From this distance Lancelot could not really see her face, well that and the fact that she was covered from head to tow in dirt and blood also made her features hard to decipher. But what Lancelot really saw in this woman was fire. She had sprit and he couldn't wait to get a piece of that fire.

"Come on Gawain, I think Lancelot can handle that one on his own, but he may loose a few body parts in the process." Galahad laughed as he and Gawain walked away. Mardela rose to her feet only to hear someone walking up behind her. "Oh great, not another one. Well let's get this over with already."

"I don't plan on hurting you Miss…that is unless you want me to." Mardela turned to see one of the riders that she had observed fighting earlier. He was quite handsome; with his dark curly hair hanging into his face, his lips curled into a half smile, and his dark eyes staring her down with a little glint behind them. _Maybe I will stick around for a while after all. _She thought and put on a smile.

"We'll see, but first I need these ropes cut." She replied holding her hands out in front of her. She watched the man walk closer to her until she could almost feel his breath on her face. He pulled a dagger out of nowhere and cut the ropes, all the while his eyes never left hers. _Wow! Those eyes, there is something about them that I just can't put my finger on. _Mardela got this feeling and suddenly she felt quite uncomfortable with the closeness with this stranger. _There is something not right here._ She thought but she still couldn't pull herself to step away.

He then leaned into her ear. "My name is Lancelot." He purred. She suddenly felt that she needed to keep this one at a distance; he was trouble, and not the kind of trouble that she was looking for.

"Good for you." She replied and stepped away from his grasp. _I bet all the girls just swoon at this one but I'm thinking that it is all a mask. He's probably lacking some skills in the bedroom, either that or lacking the proper equipment. _With a grin she turned to scan the area for her companion, spotting her she whistled and Sasha came running to her side in a moments notice. She turned back to Lancelot and asked, "Now who is in charge here. I would like to talk to someone who might actually be able to give me some information." Mardela knew just how to get this guy to back off by hitting just the right spots. By the look on Lancelot's face his sudden infatuation with her was dying out fast. "Nothing to say then?" She questioned further with a smirk on her face. _I can already tell that this one is going to be fun to toy with. _Mardela thought to herself, but then the other voice in her brain spoke up, _you had better be careful, there is something there that you need to watch out for._ Lancelot was about to say something when Mardela simply walked away, no doubt because she saw the men rallying around Arthur.

Lancelot thought to himself, _who does that bitch think she is? What was I thinking going after a girl like THAT?_ He shook his head and followed in step behind Mardela. As he began to catch up the woman's dog turned with a growl and snapped at him. "Maybe you need to put a muzzle on that mutt." He called.

"Don't worry Sasha, HE'S no threat. Couldn't hurt a fly I bet." Mardela knew this wasn't true but the glare that she knew Lancelot was giving her made it all worthwhile. Soon Mardela reached the man that was clearly their commander. The man had a presence about him that demanded respect and Mardela very rarely felt the obligation to show a stranger respect. The man instantly noticed her and quickly turned to face her. "Who are you?" He asked in a stern tone.

"My name is Mardela and those Roman soldiers found me on the road and took me for some kind of thief or something. It was terrible." She put on her most innocent face but it was clear that the man saw right through her little charade.

"If that is the story that you want to give, fine. I am Arthur and these are the Sarmatian knights. We will take you in but there are still many things that need clearing up so you had better get your story straight." Arthur looked down at the woman and it was clear that she had taken in his words and their full meaning and implications. "Now knights, we must get these supplies back to the fort. Miss Mardela you may ride with one of my men." Arthur turned and galloped towards the building that Mardela had seen in the distance a while back.

"It would be my honor if you would ride with me Miss." Mardela turned to see a huge man stretching his hand towards her. He was quite ruggedly handsome with long blond hair that fell past his shoulders.

Mardela looked over to were Lancelot was mounting his horse and watching her as she replied, "It would be my pleasure Sir."

"Gawain." The man filled in as he hoisted Mardela up behind him.

"Sir Gawain, thank you for your help." She purred into his ear.

"Just hold on Miss" With that Mardela snaked her arms slowly around his midsection making sure he felt them there. She looked back to were Lancelot was scowling at her and raised an eyebrow at him _Careful girl, that man is trouble. _That damn voice in her head was starting to bug her, what was it, her conscience? Her good sense? Her heart? None of those ideas really appealed to her at this point. Gawain then nudged his horse into a gallop and they were on their way.

* * *

Two down, no idea how many to go! Atleast I am being truthful. I'm not to sure that I will be able to keep all the knights in character but I will try my best. I am a theatre student and I'm constantly being told, "If you don't have the answer on the page then make it up." That is how I am going about this. I will try to interpret the characters as well as I can from the movie but I will also try and fill in the blanks when need be. Please R&R! I will cook you some cookies if you do.The delivery might be a problem though! 


	4. House of HealingOr Not

**_Chapter Three:_** The House of Healing...Or Not.

Mardela could hardly believe that she was willingly entering into a guarded fort. She never responded to authority and boundaries very well, that is why she constantly traveled. Traveling was the life that she knew and she loved it, that and she never had the chance to stay in one place with all the trouble that she could get into. _Don't be so hard on the place Mardela._ She cautioned herself. _The pickings seem to be ripe and you haven't even entered the gate._ At this thought she smiled and tightened her grip around Gawain's waist.

In no time at all they approached a large gate, she could see that the guards were already opening it to welcome the knights home. Upon entering the fort she saw that it was less of a fort and more of a community. She noticed the shops and people milling about their daily routine and smiled at the normal feeling that she got from it all. All the knights soon came to a stop and a man and some stable boys took the reins from each knight as they climbed down from their horses. Gawain dismounted and held a hand out to Mardela, who refused it and swung her leg over the saddle preparing to jump off, no sooner had she done this did she remember the blow that the Captain had given her across her stomach. _Almost forgot about that one, it's a funny thing, adrenalin._ Instead of landing gracefully on her feet she gasped in pain and fell from the saddle, lucky for her, Gawain was right there to catch her before she hit the floor and worsened her wounds.

"Are you hurt?" He asked with concern evident in his eyes.

"No, I just like falling from horses!" She replied and rolled her eyes at the stupidity of the question.

"She sounds fine to me." She heard someone say and turned to see Lancelot smirking at her in that oh so attractive and infuriating way. _I could just kill that man. _She thought to herself and made a motion to lunge at him, that is until she remembered the pain in her abdomen and winced, falling back into Gawain's arms. Although she was happy to note that he did back away from the lunge, even if she couldn't follow through with it in this condition. Mardela started to feel a little woozy and moved her hand to her stomach only to remove it and see it covered in blood. _This is not a good sign._

"Let's get her to a room, I need to take a look at that wound." She heard someone say as Gawain picked her up and carried her into a nearby building. After winding through various hallways they entered a room and she was set on a flat surface. "I'm going to need to rip your shirt to see how bad it is." The man stated matter-a-factly.

"Awww, only the shirt? You could be a little more bold, I promise not to tell." Mardela teased through the pain that was emanating from her body. She would say anything to get her mind off the pain; she would do anything to get her mind off the pain. _Well, not anything, but close._ She felt the man rip a portion of her shirt away and she felt him trying to clean away the extra dirt and blood.

"It's not as bad as I thought, there is just a lot of blood." He said, continuing with his cleaning. "I'm going to sew it up but I am going to need to have someone hold the cut together, it is rather wide."

"Do what you gotta do, there just better be a drink waiting for me when this is all over with." She closed her eyes and gritted her teeth as someone, who she assumed was Gawain, placed their hands on her stomach. She let out a blood-curdling scream as the hands pushed the cut so that the sides met. Mardela opened her eyes only to meet the amused eyes of Lancelot staring back at her.

"You know, you don't look so bad half dressed and screaming." Mardela only growled at him through clenched teeth and glared with all the might she had left.

"Lancelot, if you are going to aggravate my patient I can get someone else to help me." The other man said while beginning to sew up the cut.

"Sorry Dag, she just makes it impossible to resist." Lancelot replied giving Mardela a quick wink.

"I know you are lacking in the self-control department but do try." The man she now knew was Dagonet replied. A few moments later Dagonet finished tying up the wound, "Well that is it for now. I recommend that you keep your movement to a minimum and don't do anything strenuous." He then helped Mardela to a sitting position and wrapped a bandage tight around her waist a few times. "Now are you hurt anywhere else?"

"I'll be fine."

"If you don't tell me I will just have to inspect all of you." He replied.

"I could take care of that if you would like", Lancelot offered with a devious grin.

"Lancelot, get out." Dagonet practically yelled at the other knight.

Lancelot then left the room mumbling, "Fine, I was just trying to help."

Mardela looked at Dagonet and realized that he was only trying to help, "I got cut on my arm as well." Dagonet ripped her sleeve.

"You really do enjoy ripping my clothing off don't you?" She jeered and for a moment she thought she saw a look of amusement pass over the man's face before it was replaced with seriousness.

When he was finished Mardela turned to Dagonet, "Thank you. I will make sure to pay you back for this, you'll just have to wait until I heal a little, like you said, 'no strenuous activity'". She jumped off the table feeling much better, that is until she felt the pain again as she landed on the floor. She stumbled a bit until Dagonet leaned over and helped her brace herself. Mardela smiled up at him with thanks. _I must remember to take it slow until this thing is healed._ She scolded herself. "What now?" She asked looking towards Dagonet. He simply pointed towards the door where Mardela saw Arthur entering the room.

"I have had a room prepared for you. Jols here will take you to it and take care of anything else that you may require." With that a man stepped forward and offered his arm to Mardela.

"Thank you Arthur." She said leaving the room with Jols, before she was completely out of earshot they heard a whisper, "So…you can help me with ANYTHING they say?" Arthur looked at the retreating woman with surprise while Lancelot, who was still in the hallway, merely laughed.

Soon Mardela found herself entering a room, it was larger than many she had stayed in before but still modest. The contents of the room consisted of a rather large bed, a rug, and a table at one end with a candlestick on top. Right past the bed there was a window and to the right side of a room she found a doorway that led to a large bathtub. "Now I don't think I will be able to sleep in the huge bed all by my little self each night."

Jols laughed at the blunt innuendo and replied, "This room used to belong to one of the knights, he was one of the larger men."

"Was he really? You sound like you speak from experience." Mardela looked to see that Jols was trying desperately to think of something to say to clarify his comment but the words simply wouldn't come out. The look on his face made her burst into a fit of laughter. "I was only joking, I know what you meant. This room will be wonderful Jols." The man sighed with relief and laughed along with her, but more in embarrassment than amusement.

"I will send a maid up to draw you a bath and I will fetch you when it is time for dinner." He was about to leave when Mardela stopped him.

"Jols, could you make sure that my dog finds her way to my room and one more thing. I had a bag that had my belongings with me before the fight, I believe it might be in the cart with the supplies, if someone finds it I would like it returned to me." Jols nodded at her requests and turned to exit.

"Oh and Miss, I can help you with ANYTHING." With that and a smile he exited.

"That one is a little feisty, but fun." Mardela watched him leave and then made her way to the window. The view was better than she had expected and she found herself looking around to get a grasp on the surrounding area. She then heard a knock on the door. "Come in", she called. A maid entered with two pales of steaming water. "Hello! I'm Mardela." The maid refused to look her in the eye and with a slight nod in Mardela's direction she went about her duties. "Okay, so you aren't exactly a talker, that is okay. But if you don't tell me your name I will have to make something up." The maid still didn't answer. "What about Ralph. That is a lovely colorful name."

The maid looked at Mardela with terror and spoke, "My name is Evia".

"That is much better. It is a pleasure to meet you Evia. Thanks for the bath." Evia seemed much more relaxed now and actually smiled at Mardela. "You're welcome Miss."

"You can just call me Mardy, it is much less formal." At this the maid almost looked shocked. She finished preparing the bath and turned to leave.

"Will that be all Miss…. I mean Mardy?"

"Yea, thank you again Evia". The maid then left with a smile on her face. _That one could use a little backbone, I can help with that. _Mardela thought as she stripped and carefully lowered herself into the tub. The water was hot but it felt wonderful on her aching bones and muscles. Mardela removed the tie from her hair and dipped her head completely under the water, rinsing the dirt and blood from her face. Her head emerged from the water seconds later and she rested it on the tub, allowing her hair to fall over the edge. By now the water was so dark with dirt and all the other things that clung to her skin over the past few days that she could barely see her feet. She heard a knock on the door and yelled, "Come in".

"Hello, Mardela?" A male voice called.

"I'm in here, come on in." She soon saw Gawain's head poke through the doorway into the bathing area.

"You look like you are enjoying yourself." He smiled at the relaxed look on her face. "I was just going to offer to give you a tour of the premises, but it looks as if you are busy right now."

"No, I was just finishing up, just let me get dressed."

"Great." Gawain turned to exit.

"Where are you going, I thought you were going to give me a tour?" Mardela asked in confusion.

"I was just going to give you some privacy, but I would be more than happy to stay if you like." Gawain said giving her what he must have considered his seductive look. _Not bad._ Mardela thought.

"I don't mind. I have this ability to change anywhere in front of anyone, just hand me that towel." Gawain did as she asked and Mardela pulled herself from the water with the towel firmly in place. Gawain never saw a thing. Mardela stepped from the bath and walked over to where Gawain was standing when she suddenly realized something. "I just remembered that all my non-bloody and dirty clothing was in my bag, and I don't know what happened to that thing."

"I'm sure I can scrounge something up for you to wear. I'll be back shortly." Gawain exited the room to find some suitable attire.

Shortly Mardela heard the sound of someone stopping outside her door. "Come in" she yelled before they got the chance to knock. To her surprise it was not the man she thought. "Not you, what are you doing here?"

Lancelot smiled, "Unless you also suffered from some sort of brain damage you might remember the words 'come in' being yelled not one minute ago." He smirked as he saw her face begin to get red with rage, or was that embarrassment?

"Well, your in, so what the hell do you want?" She practically screamed at him. _Yep, that is rage all right._ He thought.

"I was just going to give you this bag. I was told you lost it." He stepped closer to her, fully aware of her state of undress. "Now can I get a little finders fee?" He asked leaning closer and bringing his arms up to her waist. For a moment Mardela felt a little something but then that voice came back. _Trouble. _She quickly came to her senses and put her defense back up.

_I don't know why I ever found this guy attractive. I only bed people on my terms. This ought to teach him a lesson. _Still being in a state of anger Mardela purred in a seductive tone, "I have your fee right here". She then lifted her knee, crashing it into his groin. Lancelot immediately shrunk back and his body seemed to pull into a ball.

With his voice coming in pants he yelled, "What the fuck is wrong with you." He seemed to regain his composure a little but the pain was still evident on his face. "You are in for a surprise if you think I am always this nice to bitches like you." With that he walked, somewhat strangely out of the room. Once in the hallway he leaned against the wall mumbling, "I was crazy to think that that woman had anything. She is a crazy bitch." As he wandered down the hall he passed Gawain who heard Lancelot mumble, "I really need a drink about now." Gawain smiled and headed back to Mardela's room. He entered and found her already dressed, in much the same attire that she had been wearing earlier, just cleaner. He was about to ask her where she got the clothing but she never gave him the chance.

Mardela quickly grabbed his arm, "I'm ready for my tour." Gawain smiled down and her and they exited the room.

* * *

And then there were three! Anyone feel like they understand Mardela a little more? You should all know that I actually wrote out a character analysis for Mardela so that I could gauge how she should act and react in each situation. I really want to keep her character development and background accurate. As always, please R&R. This time I will take you out to eat if you do! 


	5. A Quite Interesting Night

_**Chapter Four:**_ An Quite Interesting Night

Mardela was beginning to think that maybe coming to this place wasn't too bad of an idea, even if it wasn't really her idea to begin with. The last few hours had passed with merriment and joking for Gawain was proving to be a most entertaining and informative guide. Immediately after leaving her quarters Gawain asked her what she wanted to see first.

"Since I don't know what there is to see why don't you choose." He smiled at her response and they set off down the hall, with Gawain commenting on various things along the way. She found that she was quickly learning a host of amusing stories and events that she can bet the other knights would rather she didn't know. Mardela was interested to discover that her room was right between the rooms of Dagonet and Lancelot. _Two extremely different men in such close proximity. Not bad! _Gawain also pointed out the rooms of all the other knights and even the room of their commander, Arthur. She was surprised to find that Arthur lived on the same floor and wing as the knights; she had expected his room to be in a different place, perhaps where the largest rooms were located. "Why is it that Arthur lives among you all instead of in one of the rooms where the royalty usually sleeps? Does he need to keep an eye on you guys or something?"

"Arthur does not consider himself better or worse than any of us, we are all equal according to him." Mardela still wasn't satisfied by this answer and wanted to know more about the man who made her feel like she needed to prove to him that she was a good person. Before she got the chance to question Gawain further he pulled her by the arm and continued leading her through the castle.

After seeing the kitchen, dinning hall, and many other rooms that she had no idea the use of, Gawain finally led her outside. Mardela relished in the lovely feel of the breeze that met her as they walked into the open courtyard. She looked at the sky, which was alight with color as the sun was leaving the world for the night. Gawain led her towards an area that he explained to be the practice area of the knights. "Yep, this is the place where I whip all those guys into shape." He said while puffing out his chest and trying to look macho.

"Yes, I'm sure that is exactly how it goes." Mardela said rolling her eyes and starting to walk towards a building that she had spotted from her room earlier. "What is this place?"

"Oh, that is the stable." With that he opened the door and walked inside. For Mardela the smell was sweet: the fresh hay and the musky smell of the horses. Mardela went from stall to stall looking at each horse. They were magnificent animals each. In the last stall she found the youngest of the horses, almost full grown but still a youth with much growing left to do.

"What is this one's name?" She asked, her eyes never leaving the young beast.

"Oh that one, her name is Pedra. Tristan found her a few months ago wandering north of the wall. She had injured her leg somehow so Tristan took her in and he has been looking after her ever since. She is frightened by most people but Tristan seems to have won her trust." Mardela stepped into the stall and held her hand out to the animal. She started talking to Pedra softly.

"Hello girl. My name is Mardela. You are such a beautiful girl." The horse walked towards the outstretched hand and sniffed it. Pedra then moved closer and allowed Mardela to softly pet her nose.

"She usually doesn't like strangers." Mardela turned to see whom the new, and somewhat stern, voice belonged to. It was one of the men that she had not yet met but she assumed that it was Tristan by the protective tone in his voice.

"She is an amazing animal. You have done a good job with her." Mardela gave Pedra a last pat and after saying goodbye she exited the stall. When she looked at Tristan she couldn't understand the stoic but calculating look in his eyes. He simply nodded at her and left. _What was that all about?_ Mardela asked herself. She couldn't understand the feeling of nakedness that the man had left her with. Not really nakedness of flesh but of soul and mind, like he could see all of her, all the things that she worked so hard to keep hidden.

"You okay?" The voice shook her from her thoughts and Mardela looked up to see the face of Gawain looking back at her. "Don't worry about Tristan, he always seems a little strange at first but he will eventually grow on you."

Mardela managed to muster up a smile for Gawain's benefit and tried to shake the feeling that Tristan had given her. "I'm fine. So what is next on the tour?" Gawain smiled and took her arm.

"I have saved the best part for last, the tavern!" Mardela pulled out of his grasp in mock-horror.

"You mean there is a place to drink and you kept it a secret from me for three whole hours? I may just have to kill you for that." Mardela joked.

"Let me explain, if I had taken you there first we would have never gotten to see anything else."

"And the problem with that would be what?"

"Good point, let's get going." Laughing, Gawain led her out of the stable in the direction of the tavern.

As they neared the tavern Mardela could hear the sounds of chatter and laughter as well as the smell of alcohol and food. _This is the place all right._ They turned a corner and Mardela saw a small but busy area. There was a hut with a bar underneath and she could see what she assumed to be barmaids running in and out of the bar with drinks and plates of food. Around the area there were scattered benches and tables with men sitting around them. In one corner she observed Tristan, Dagonet and some other men throwing things at what she assumed was some kind of dartboard. "So, are you going to be an gentleman and buy me a drink?" Mardela looked up at Gawain and gave him her best smile.

"That is just what I was going to offer milady. Shall we." He motioned his hand towards the mob of drinking men and Mardela decided that the night might turn out to be interesting, at least that is what she hoped.

"Just lead the way my good man." Gawain smiled and led Mardela into the mess of people drinking at the tavern. It did not escape Mardela's attention that many of the barmaids were giving her a dirty look and she knew exactly why. _Maybe Gawain has more to offer a girl than I thought._ She smiled and held onto his arm tighter; making sure that all the women staring her down saw her actions. Gawain weaved through the people and found them a seat with some of the other knights.

"Mardela, so glad that you could join us tonight", the youngest of the knights said while getting up and offering her his seat.

"How kind of you Galahad. But, what does a girl have to do to get a drink around here." Mardela asked while looking around.

"Convince one of the barmaids that it will be worth their while to serve you." Mardela saw the man that had answered her question.

"Ah, Lancelot. Is that why you don't seem to have a drink in your hand."

"I'm just deciding which lovely lady will have the pleasure of my company tonight. If you had just been nice to me that lady could have been you but the whole crazy bitch thing had definitely taken you out of the running." Lancelot sauntered away smiling and soon found a pretty little thing to find him a drink and serve as entertainment for the night.

Mardela soon forgot about the annoyed feeling brought on by Lancelot and went back to trying to find a drink.

She soon noticed that the only knight that she had not yet met was standing right next to the bar talking to one of the barmaids. "If you will excuse me gentlemen I am going to go see about that drink." She made her way over to the bar and swung her arm around the knight. "Hi, I believe you haven't had the pleasure of meeting me yet. I'm Mardela." She gave the man a wink and he looked her up and down slightly.

"Yes you are." He said only to be hit by the barmaid that was behind the bar.

"And you, Bors, are very much taken." Bors immediately sidestepped out of Mardela's grasp and began to plead with the woman.

"What did I do? You know that you are the only woman for me."

The woman looked at him sternly saying, "That's right! Or else I am going to beat you until you can't breath anymore." Her serious tone then melted and she leaned in, kissing Bors tenderly. Mardela watched the exchange with approval. _This is my kind of woman._

"I'm sorry, I didn't know. But I am glad to see that you have this one under control. I commend you on your achievement." Mardela held her hand out to shake the woman's hand and the offer was gladly accepted.

"My name is Vanora and you must be the new comer that all the knights have been talking about." Vanora gave Mardela a welcoming smile and continued to pour drinks as they talked.

"It is nice to meet you Vanora." Mardela smiled back. "So I guess I got the men's attention this afternoon, if they are talking about me already."

"Well it isn't often that we find women in the middle of nowhere. Especially one that was as dirty as you were when we found you." Bors laughed remembering Mardela's sad state when they first spotted her.

Mardela shrugged her shoulders stating, "I've been dirtier, in more ways than one." She winked then turned to Vanora before Bors could react and said, "So I hear that you are the woman to talk to if I want to get a drink around here." Vanora smiled and poured Mardela a drink. "Anyway you can make that two and save me the trip back here?"

"It would be my pleasure." Vanora poured Mardela another drink and with thanks Mardela made her way back to the table that the knights were sitting at.

"So, did you all miss me?" She asked squeezing into the seat between Gawain and Galahad.

Galahad seemed to drunk, or distracted, to hear what she had said because he was preoccupied with staring at some girl sitting at the table across from them, whereas Gawain was totally receptive to her flirting.

"I see that you got yourself something to drink." He then noticed another drink in her other hand. "And you even got one for me." He reached to take the drink from her hand just as he did so she moved it out of his reaching grasp.

"Sorry honey, these are all mine. I had to work hard to get these." With that she downed the contents of one of the drinks. The felt refreshed as the liquid began to create a warm sensation throughout her body.

"No you didn't. You just hit on Bors to get them. By the way, how did that go for you?" He questioned her, knowing full well how her attempts went from the exchange that he witnessed earlier.

"I ended up with two drinks in the end so it couldn't have gone that poorly." They both laughed and Mardela looked around at the cliental of the tavern. She found that almost all of the clients were men and most were Roman soldiers and a few town people. She also noticed that some of the barmaids were giving her looks of death still. _Now to have some fun._

She turned to Gawain and started to turn on the charm. "By the mean looks that I am getting from all the ladies in the area I am starting to get the idea that you are somewhat of a catch around here." At this comment Gawain couldn't help but brag a little.

"Well they know a real man when they see one." He slyly put his arm around Mardela's waist and pulled her a little closer.

"Is that so? But the real question is have any of them had a quality man. That way they have the required knowledge to make an accurate comparison and dub you a **real** man?" Mardela started to playfully twirl one of Gawain's golden strands of hair with her fingers as he leered down at her, all the while she was sipping at her remaining drink.

"Have you had a man which you could use as a comparison to the performance of all other men?" Mardela unconsciously looked over to were Lancelot was sitting with a barmaid now giggling dumbly on his lap. _Trouble,_ she heard that voice remind her. She forcibly drew her attention back to Gawain. "Because it would be my pleasure to be that man." Mardela lustfully looked up at Gawain as he pulled her closer to him. Gawain leaned even closer to Mardela and moved his free hand to her chin, tilting her face towards him. Just as their lips were about to touch Mardela paused and in an airy voice spoke into his waiting mouth.

"That is an awfully big offer to make, I sure hope that you have the skill to fulfill it." She then went the extra inch and pressed her lips to his. At first the kiss was sweet, each was simply testing the waters. But very quickly it grew in intensity until the two were completely aware of only the other person. Gawain pulled Mardela onto his lap and wrapped his arms around her. Mardela in turn inched her arms around Gawain's neck and played with the hair that fell down over his neck. _Obviously someone has had a bit of practice at this. I'll have to thank those barmaids sometime._ The kiss evolved to a state of pure passion as both parties became fully aware of the desire between them.It was Mardela who broke from the kiss first, though she wouldn't have minded if it lasted forever. She rested her forehead against his and both were panting from the level of intensity that had developed between them. Mardela could still feel Gawain's hands roaming over her shoulders back and waist, unable to sit still and obviously yearning for more. Mardela leaned her head to whisper in his ear, "Why don't we get out of here? Maybe someplace a little more private." Mardela didn't miss the sparkle that appeared in Gawain's eyes at her suggestion.

"Whatever you wish milady!" He said with a smile, lifting Mardela off his lap and placing her in a standing position. As Gawain rose Mardela finished off the remainder of her drink. Gawain then placed an arm around Mardela and started to lead her out of the tavern. Before they had exited Mardela looked over towards where Lancelot had been sucking face with some girl and she was startled to find him staring at her with an intensity that she had never seen before in any man's eyes. Little did she know, that intensity was the end of a development of internal feelings that had previously occurred within Lancelot.

It began upon their arrival when he saw Mardela and Gawain flirting. When Gawain put his arm around her Lancelot began to loose his interest in the pretty girl that was on his lap. _What does she see in Gawain? I have much more to offer her. _He then realized who was distracting him. _What am I thinking? It is not like she would know or be able to appreciate the company of a real man. She wouldn't be able to handle a man like me._ He quickly turned his attention back to the girl that was desperately trying to keep him entertained. A few moments later he couldn't help himself and he looked back over to the crazy siren and Gawain. What he saw did not amuse him in the least. Mardela was on Gawain's lap and both seemed to be enjoying themselves. Lancelot became angry and pushed the girl from his lap.

"What did I do?" She asked at his sudden move.

"Just get me something to drink." The girl was disappointed but didn't dare argue because the tone in Lancelot's voice scared her right down to her soul. She quickly scuttled away to the bar and soon returned with a drink. She handed it to him and he took it without even a look in her direction. She remained, standing there waiting for some kind of response. "I'm done with you, get lost." The girl turned and left, tears developing in her eyes.

Lancelot was fuming and the fact that he couldn't understand why only made it worse. _Why is the idea of her with Gawain so infuriating to me? She means nothing to me. Everything is going wrong since that bitch got here and now I don't even have that girl, what was her name? Tara, Tanya, Trina? Who cares? She is just one of many. But that vixen, she might be more._ It was at this point in his thoughts that Mardela rose to leave with Gawain and saw the intense stare that Lancelot was giving her. She felt her knees go weak and grabbed a hold of Gawain to hide her weakness from the prying eyes of Lancelot. Lancelot only watched them leave and after a few drinks in silence he found the girl that he had insulted before and charmed her into his bed for the night. Although it must be noted that his ability to charm was somewhat off with the anger and bitterness that was flowing though his body since around the time that Mardela left the tavern with Gawain.

All the way back to the castle Mardela couldn't get her mind off Lancelot and the look that he had given her. _I never knew that I could feel that way from something as simple as a look._ It was not until they were standing in the entrance of Gawain's room did she get the dark eyed knight out of her mind. Gawain led her into his room, hoping that he was not being to presumptuous at her previous statement. He soon discovered that he was not presuming anything at all.

The second the door closed the two had their hands busy. Ripping off shirts, awkwardly pulling off boots and pants. They finally dispensed of the remaining shreds of clothing and tumbled into bed. Gawain found himself pleasantly surprised at the command that Mardela took and found that he would never be able to bed to a quiet and voiceless woman again, not after this experience. Mardela found that she too enjoyed their little romp and decided that Gawain was well worth her while after all. Hours later the two finally had enough, they collapsed into bed, sweat glistening all over their bodies. Gawain then did something that Mardela had not expected; he pulled her close to his body and spooned her, whispering, "Goodnight!"

_Oh no._ She thought. _I think Gawain and I will have to have a talk tomorrow to establish a few guidelines. But right now I guess could use the sleep._ With that thought she fell asleep still in Gawain's arms.

When Mardela awoke the next morning she panicked when she felt the odd presence of an arm around her waist. Moment later she remembered the events of the previous night. She carefully pulled herself out from under Gawain's arm and got to her feet. Mardela searched all over the room trying to assemble the outfit that she had arrived in. She bent down and found her shirt, she held it up and noticed that something was not quite right, only half a shirt dangled from her hand. _I know I am irresistible but why can't guys ever just remove the shirt rather than rip it off me? I am so sick of loosing clothing this way._

She quickly but quietly put on the rest of her clothing and she then held the half shirt over her breasts with her arm. Mardela put her ear to the door listening for any sound that might be a person on the outside. Hearing nothing she opened the door and exited.

She rushed in the direction of her room and turning a corner bumped into Arthur, the momentum sending her flying to the ground. In the frenzy she lost the grip on her shirt and it too fell from its not-quite-secure place covering her bosom. She looked up and from the look on Arthur's face; he had seen more of her than he had probably ever thought he would see.

He quickly recovered from his shock and picked up the shirt that had fallen near his feet. Averting his eyes to the ground he said, "I believe this belongs to you milady." Mardela quickly grabbed the shirt and covered herself. She looked up at Arthur and smiled as her face turned red with embarrassment. Arthur extended his arm and helped her up, giving her a sympathetic look and small laugh. Mardela soon felt a little better about the situation and she laughed right along with him. Arthur, seeing that she was more at ease teased, "Now it is imperative that I get to know you. I have never known a woman with out first knowing her." A look of shock crossed Mardela's face because she thought for a moment that Arthur was hitting on her but from the look on his face she could tell that it was all in friendly jest.

She smiled and looked to him, "Well then, would you care to dine with me for breakfast my lord." She then added the best curtsy that she could give; making sure that her hand was firmly holding the half-shirt in place.

"It would be my pleasure milady." Arthur replied, adding "I will send for you in about an hours time. I have to take care of a few things first." He bowed and Mardela smiled and made her way back to her room.

Once safely inside her room Mardela collapsed upon her bed, "I was right, last night proved to be quite interesting, as was this morning."

* * *

If any of you are like me you got to the sex scene between Mardela and Gawain and went, "That's all?" If you are not like me I apologize, I'm a good girl I swear. But in truth I would have loved to write it all steamy for you all but sadly will not allow me to do so. Trust me, I am as sad about it as you are.

Now on to the reviews.So far I am only baking cookies and taking two of you out to dinner because that is all who reviewed. So, **FlamezBlaze1** and **Marianna**, where do you guys wanna eat? I just don't see how you can all pass up these offers? Make sure you R&R. How about I up the stakes?If you review I will take you to Disneyland (by'take' I mean that I will give you a coupon to get $3 off a ticket to Disneyland with the purchase of a small coke).


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